Take control of your learning journey with our flexible online course format. You can study when and where it works best for you, accessing course materials from any desktop or laptop computer with a reliable internet connection. No software downloads needed—everything is cloud-based for your convenience.
Your progress through the course includes regular knowledge checks and skill application. In each module, you’ll complete either a graded knowledge assessment or a written assignment, demonstrating your understanding and growing expertise. Our experienced volunteer mentors personally review your written work using transparent grading rubrics, while knowledge assessments are automatically graded for immediate feedback. To earn your certificate, you’ll need to achieve a minimum score of seventy percent (70%) on each of the four written assignments and an overall grade of eighty percent (80%) or higher.
Required Textbooks:
We recommend print versions of the required textbooks; electronic editions often do not include page numbers, which you’ll need to find reading assignments. We are unable to provide e-book ‘locations’ because they vary by device and settings.
To balance flexibility with educational quality, we offer the following enrollment options.
When you purchase the full course:
- You have eighteen (18) months from the first day of access to complete both parts
- You’ll receive access to Part 1 in early 2026
- Part 2 becomes available after completing Part 1
When purchasing parts separately:
- Parts must be completed in sequence (Part 1, then Part 2)
- You have nine (9) months to complete each part
- Part 2 can only be purchased after completing Part 1
After purchase, you’ll receive a confirmation email. Please check your spam/junk folder if you don’t see it.
Need More Time? Paid extensions are available if you find you need additional time to complete your course.
To accommodate changes in plans prior to beginning your studies, we offer these refund options, upon request:
Before the Course Launches in Early 2026
- Full refund available minus a $75 administrative fee
- Applies to both full course and individual part purchases
After Course Launch
Course materials are © National Genealogical Society. All rights reserved.
NGS grants you a personal, nontransferable license to access course materials for your own educational use. You may not:
- Share course materials with others
- Transfer your access to another person
- Copy or distribute course content
